Share This Story!

Officials approve new economic development organization

The Blueprint Intergovernmental Agency this evening designated itself as the new economic development organization, making it the sole decider on economic development initiatives to replace the Economic Development Council of Tallahassee/Leon County

Posted!

Join the Conversation

Comments

Welcome to our new and improved comments, which are for subscribers only.
This is a test to see whether we can improve the experience for you.
You do not need a Facebook profile to participate.

You will need to register before adding a comment.
Typed comments will be lost if you are not logged in.

Please be polite.
It's OK to disagree with someone's ideas, but personal attacks, insults, threats, hate speech, advocating violence and other violations can result in a ban.
If you see comments in violation of our community guidelines, please report them.

The Blueprint Intergovernmental Agency on Monday designated itself the area's new economic development organization, making it the sole decider on local economic development initiatives and programs for decades to come.

The IA — made up of the Leon County and Tallahassee City Commissions — voted 10 to 1 to create the EDO and establish the new Tallahassee/Leon County Office of Economic Vitality. Leon County Commissioner Kristin Dozier cast the lone dissenting vote.

Many commissioners lauded City Manager Rick Fernandez and County Administrator Vince Long for their work developing the plan. Some conceded it has imperfections; others called for more significant roles for minorities, women and nonprofits.

"I think that it lays out a very very strong and compelling vision for how we create Tallahassee's future economy," Mayor Andrew Gillum said. "I know that it wasn't easy to get to this place but I think where we have arrived at is a place that almost has unanimous support from our business, our civic and now our political leadership."

The overarching goal of the plan, which takes effect today, is to create an economic development ecosystem that draws on the strengths and capital of community partners — such as universities, businesses and startups — to create a sustainable economy.

The plan — which Fernandez and Long said won't come at an increased cost to taxpayers — hinges on the new Office of Economic Vitality, the consolidation of the city and county’s economic development departments into a central economic development hub.

The office will be a "one-stop shop" that coordinates economic development efforts among community partners, implements the strategic plan and oversees the basic functions of an EDO. The office will be housed in the joint city-county Department of Planning, Land Management and Community Enhancement (PLACE), which is led by new director Ben Pingree, the former executive director of the EDC.

The Office of Economic Vitality will create a more streamlined and more professionalized process with more resources than what existed under the Economic Development Council of Tallahassee/Leon County, supporters say. The EDC existed as the area's EDO before it dissolved in January following a split with the Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce.

Long and Fernandez had been working on the plan before the EDC dissolution mainly to prepare for incoming Blueprint sales tax dollars set aside for economic development. That money will start trickling in come 2020.

There were about 10 public speakers at the meeting, most who supported the plan and showed a willingness to work with the new EDO, including Sue Dick, president and CEO of the Chamber.

Despite the optimism, Dozier — equipped with three pages of questions — wasn't quite sold. She heard from dozens of community members who had concerns. Many people, she said, were opposed to the plan but were afraid of voicing their opposition for fear of tarnishing relationships.

"I would never have (voted against it) had I not talked to dozens and dozens of people in the last two months and the last five years who have proved to me that there is way more to discuss about setting up an economic development organization, way more need, way more potential than what we approved today," Dozier said.

She wanted the new office to report directly to Fernandez and Long. Aligning it under PLACE and not under another section of city or county government she said sends a signal that infrastructure, land use and zoning are the dominant driving forces behind economic development. Before the vote, she proposed the group vote to hire a consultant, and in the meantime host more public meetings on the structure of the new EDO.

County Commissioner Bill Proctor floated a letter before the meeting that said the new EDO structure should include measures that incorporate more minority-owned businesses. He suggested 40 percent of the Blueprint sales tax money should be targeted for black-owned businesses.

County Commissioner Bryan Desloge insisted the IA move forward. If issues arose, he said, tweaks could always be made.

"It's a great first step," Desloge said. "Is it perfect? No. But nothing ever is and there's nothing we do today that we can't mold and change."